Star Trek - New Horizons
by wayne.skelding.5
Summary: The Enterprise E is being decommissioned, the senior staff are moving onto new adventures. This is my idea for how the new Captain Picard series could open. Feedback is welcome and encouraged, but please make it constructive, also please bear in mind that I wrote this in a couple of hours whilst inspired ! This is my very first submission so I'm keen to know what people think.


"Today brings to an end one chapter in the history of the Enterprise, and the beginning of a new one. I am pleased to announce that earlier today the Federation council in conjunction with Starfleet Command agreed that the construction of a new Starship Enterprise will begin within the next 6 months. I ask you all to raise a glass and toast to the continued exploration of our galaxy by the Enterprise."

The entire audience of the room burst into a round of applause, including the honoured guests standing on the dais with the Federation president. The former command staff of the legendary Enterprise-E were represented in force at the decommissioning ceremony for the Enterprise, the retiring Captain Picard was joined by his wife Beverly Crusher and their son Rene, Will Riker & Deanna Troi were joined by their daughter Natasha. Of course both children had slipped away to go on their own 'adventure' exploring the Earth spacedock. Jean-Luc smiled subtly to himself, 'even at 10 years old they both already want to explore more than anything else' he thought. Data, Geordi & Worf all stood on the stage with a mixture of emotions on their faces, smiles at being together again, the occasional melancholy look when they remembered that they were here to say goodbye to the ship that had been their home for so long, at one point a single tear rolled down Geordi's face at the thought of saying goodbye to his ship.

As the formal speeches and festivities began to wind down and the dignitaries began to leave, various former crew began to mingle amongst themselves and discuss their next postings or plans for the future. Captain Picard turned to look out at his ship, trying to commit her lines and curves to memory, knowing full well that today would be the last time he saw her as it's commanding officer. He remembered the words that a former captain of the Enterprise had said to him a long time ago 'Well let me tell you something. _Don't_. Don't let them promote you. Don't let them transfer you. Don't let them do _anything_ that takes you off the bridge of that ship, because while you're there... you can make a difference.' For many years he'd taken Captain, no, that wasn't right, it was Jim, he'd said 'call me Jim,' for many years he'd taken Jim Kirk's advice to heart and fought against any attempt to take him away from the Enterprise, he'd turned down promotions, sacrificed any plans that would take him anywhere else. But things had changed, _he_ had changed, the Enterprise wasn't all that mattered anymore, he had Beverly now, and a son, he knew that there were things more important than Starfleet, more important than exploring the galaxy, even more important than the Enterprise. He'd made the decision 18 months ago that when Starfleet decommissioned the Enterprise that he would retire from Starfleet, and even though a small part of him was terrified of what a life outside of Starfleet would be like, the larger part of him knew that it was time, it was time for him to step away from all of this and focus on being a father and husband.

Admiral Riker saw his friend Jean-Luc staring out of the window at the Enterprise and moved over to stand next to him, it was obvious that Jean-Luc's thoughts were elsewhere as he didn't even notice that Will was there until he started speaking. "I'm sorry Will, I wasn't even listening" Jean-Luc responded with a sly grin on his face. "Thinking about the ship?" Will asked curiously, "Not just the ship" replied Jean-Luc "it just occurred to me that this is very likely to be the last time we're all together in the same place." he said turning around and taking in the people around him, they were more than just his crew, even more than friends, they were Jean-Luc's extended family. "So Will, where's the Titan off to next?" asked Jean-Luc trying to get the conversation back onto a positive track and banish his thoughts about saying goodbye to the Enterprise. "Well the Titan is headed to the Gamma quadrant on a 6 month exploration mission, but Deanna and I won't be joining them." Will replied, "I've accepted a position at Starfleet Command on Earth as Starfleet liaison to the Federation Council for exploration, and Deanna is taking a professorship at the Academy. We decided that it was time to be in one place for a while." Jean-Luc raised an eyebrow in surprise, the thought of Will accepting a position where he wouldn't be on a ship, especially the Titan openly surprised him and it must have shown on his face as Will chuckled "You know Captain Vale had that same look when I told her I was leaving the Titan." He said smiling. "Will, I can't think of anyone better suited to planning the Federation's exploration priorities" Picard replied, "and Deanna will make an incredible professor, I learnt so much from her, without her helping me to accept my feelings and open myself up more, I doubt Beverly and I would have ever been able to be together. I owe her a lot, more than I could ever repay." Deanna and Beverly stood nearby and joined their respective spouses in what was fast becoming a very informal meeting similar to their staff meetings on the Enterprise. "Captain, you don't owe me anything" Deanna replied whilst handing Will a glass of Champagne. "Deanna, have you seen Natasha, are the kids OK?" Will asked with mock concern on his face. "Yes Will," Deanna replied rolling her eyes, "Lal is with them, they said that they were exploring the spacedock, but Lal will make sure they're ok." Beverly smiled and replied "Will, you worry too much about them, take it from me, they'll be fine." Jean-Luc nodded in agreement, after all, they were 'exploring' with Data's android daughter who was stronger and faster than anyone in the room with the possible exception of her father, god help anyone who tried to do anything untoward to that particular 'away team' as Rene had proudly called their little group.

As the evening went on, only the crew of the Enterprise remained, and their children of course, Rene & Natasha were playing a game with Lal, but they both looked exhausted and it was well past their bedtimes. The former command crew gathered around a large table reminiscing about the years they'd spent on both the Enterprise D & E, discussing their current projects and families. Geordi was excitedly explaining to Will how he and Leah Brahms were leading the design team for the new Enterprise-F. Data was discussing the ups & downs of parenthood with Beverly and Deanna, and seemed to be listening intently to their advice for raising a child. Worf observing and listening to everyone around him while subconsciously fingering the fourth pip that signified his recent promotion to Captain, he was due to take his new ship, the Stonehall, on her shakedown cruise within the next week. Jean-Luc looked at them all with an overwhelming amount of pride at just how far they had all come since that first mission to Farpoint together.

Some of the junior officers and crew members were starting to say goodbye to each other and preparing to leave. The day was starting to wind down, and it was time for Jean-Luc to say a proper goodbye to his home for so many years and the crew who had guided her. Rising to his feet and gently tapping the side of his glass of champagne, he called the remaining crew to order, "Ladies and gentlemen, if I could have a few moments of your time please." Every face in the room turned to look at the captain, _their_ captain with rapt attention. "I wanted to take this final opportunity to address you before you all begin new and exciting chapters in your lives." Jean-Luc looked around at all the faces watching him, people who he had served with, in some cases, for decades. "For nearly 60 years I've served in Starfleet, many of those as a captain, in that time I've seen and done things that a layperson could barely comprehend or understand. I have been witness to some of the most important events in the Federation's history, and yet I _know_ that there is no way I would ever have been able to do all of this without you all by my side with me. Without all of you, there would be no Enterprise to take us boldly where no one has gone before. Today we say goodbye to our ship, to our home, but more importantly, we say goodbye to each other. It may be many years, if ever, before we are all together again, but I want each and every one of you to know that you are my family and serving with you has been the greatest honour that I could ever ask for." The mixture of emotion in the room was startling, tears falling from some, others smiling with excitement at what was to come. Jean-Luc realised that this was it, this was the end of _his_ Enterprise, this was the moment that at one point he didn't think would ever happen, the moment he didn't _want_ to happen. "I ask you all to raise your glasses with me, to the Enterprise, to home, to our family." He finished his toast and raised his glass to the air, one final salute to their time together. "To the Enterprise" everyone replied in unison.

"Captain's Log, this will be my final recording, not just as Captain of the Enterprise, but also as a member of Starfleet. Beverly, is due to leave on the Pasteur the day after tomorrow, and I can't express how proud I am of her for accepting the captaincy of her own ship. Both Rene and myself will miss her terribly, but I would never forgive myself for standing in her way. I can only imagine that this is how countless other spouses must feel when their loved ones leave to go on a Starfleet mission, and even though I know she's incredibly capable, I can't help but worry about her safety. Computer, pause recording" Jean-Luc stood to fetch himself some tea from the replicator, and walked through their stateroom at Starfleet Command. He stopped at the door to the room that Rene was using, he was sound asleep, a PADD still in his hand, Jean-Luc stooped to see what Rene had been reading and smiled when he saw that he was studying the Picard & Crusher family histories. Then he looked in the master bedroom and saw that Beverly was sound asleep, though he was hardly surprised, it was 03.00 in the morning after all, but the emotion of the day had left Picard unable to sleep and surprisingly full of energy. He returned to the sofa in the living area of their stateroom and continued his final log entry. "Worf has very kindly offered to transport Rene and myself to Vulcan as part of the Stonehall's shakedown cruise, and though he would never admit it I can't help but think that Worf wants to show off his new ship to me. The Federation embassy have arranged a suitable house for us on Vulcan and will be sending my new attaché to help bring upto speed before I assume my new post as Federation ambassador to Vulcan in two weeks' time." Suddenly there was a bright flash of light in the room that for a moment blinded Picard, before someone began speaking. "Ahhh Mon Capitan, an Ambassador? Really? How boring! Is this what it's come to since you settled down with that delightful Doctor?" Jean-Luc looked aghast at the person in front of him, someone who he hadn't seen in years and had hoped he would never see again. "Q! What are you doing here?" Picard demanded to know, "Now, now Captain, is that anyway to greet an old friend after all this time?" Jean-Luc rolled his eyes in response, "Jean-Luc, why oh why are you willingly stepping into such a boring life?" Q asked with a look of bemusement on his face, "You can have a child and still lead an exciting life on board that ship you love so much, after all if I can be an almighty powerful Q _and_ be a parent, then you can surely explore the galaxy whilst looking after little Rene?" Jean-Luc had been briefed by Admiral Janeway that Q had a child of his own now, though he was surprised at the sheer idea of Q being so … responsible. "Because Q, unlike you, we humans age and grow old. Besides, the Enterprise has been decommissioned, I don't have a ship of my own anymore." Q smiled in response with a mischievous glint in his eye. "Jean-Luc, just because you don't have a ship anymore, doesn't mean that you can't explore." with the barest hint of a smile Jean-Luc tried to protest at what he was certain was about to happen. "Q, wait, don't do it!" Q clicked his fingers and they both disappeared in a flash of light.


End file.
